Religion in India
More than 70 years have passed since India gained independence from colonial rule, and many Indians believe that their country has successfully achieved one of its post-independence ideals: a society where followers of diverse religions can live and practice freely.
India’s population is both diverse and devout, with the majority of the world’s Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs residing there, as well as one of the largest Muslim populations in the world, and millions of Christians and Buddhists. Despite the increase in religious riots and discrimination caused by a Hindu nationalist government, the survey found that Indians generally felt free to practice their religion.
The Pew Research Center survey, which was conducted between late 2019 and early 2020 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and involved nearly 30,000 face-to-face interviews with adults in 17 languages, explored religious attitudes and practices in India.
The booklet visualizes some of these findings.
